The Many Christmas' of Sally Jackson
by Werewolfs Rule
Summary: Christmas only comes around once a year, a look through Christmas' past and Christmas' to come with Sally Jackson.


_**1992**_

Her last good Christmas had been the same year that her parents had died. She had gotten everything that she asked Santa for –in fact that was the last year she ever believed in Santa. Toys and books and her family all together, what else did she need?

The Christmas' that followed got more and more…depressing? She missed her parents, her uncle was horrible and neglectful, and on top of that, she was seeing weird people and _monsters_. Everywhere she went she could see weird _things_.

This Christmas though, was different. Her boyfriend had just returned the night before from his _conference_ with his family. It was only supposed to last for a day, but she didn't get angry with him, he told her that time moved different on Olympus.

Yeah, Olympus. Her boyfriend was a God, and by God, she means the Greek kind. Poseidon in fact, the God of the seas, the Earthshaker, her best friend, her boyfriend, and in this moment –annoyingly- asleep.

"Wake up," she whispered, pulling on a lock of his unruly hair. She loved his hair, as wild and crazy as the kingdom he ruled over. "Phillip, wake up."

She only called him that as that was what he had told her in introduction. She hadn't bought it, but it kept the other Gods attention away from him, so she used it. She was also slightly fond of the name; it had been her father's middle name.

"Phil, wake up," she said, then tugged on his hair a little harder than she meant to, but it works as he groans and then reached an arm out towards her. She laughed a little too loudly when he suddenly grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him; he kissed her face and tickled her sides, and she couldn't help but laugh and try to push him away. Then she's finally able to get a hold of his hands, and their faces are only inches apart, and his is hovering over hers, and she can't help but note that he needs to shave.

He kissed her and it was all smiles and happiness and his three day stubble.

"Merry Christmas Sally," he whispered as he pulled away.

She smiled and hugged him, "merry Christmas, Poseidon."

A sudden and very loud knock –or really bang- on the door broke them apart. Poseidon went to answer it, and on the other side are Zeus and Ares and Hermes.

It isn't the first time she's seen Hermes, but she doesn't say anything to her old Tuesday mailman.

Poseidon hanged his head at the sight of his brother and nephews, and in that moment she can see his age, or at least the age he should portray. An old man, wise and gentle, but with fierce angry eyes that could really cause problems, he's in blue robes and has his trident.

He also has a beard, and she couldn't help but think that he needed to shave it off.

And then the group of Gods are gone. And Sally is praying to him, _come back to me, don't leave me alone_.

_**1993**_

She requested Christmas day off two months in advance, but she knew that there was always the possibility that she would have to work. It was just be the Jackson luck.

Obviously though, the Gods were in her favor today.

Percy coos at her, barely four months old, but he looks just like Poseidon. Too bad he couldn't be there with them. He had come around a few months ago; it had been an especially bad week. All of her bills were due, she had gotten bad tips –like always-, Percy had spent every night screaming as he had an ear infection, and she absolutely hated her life.

It hadn't been the best time for him to come around, but she appreciated it. She even went as far as to let him touch Percy.

She hadn't gone all out this Christmas –she simply couldn't afford it-, but she did get a small tree. She still had all the old ornaments from her childhood, so she put as many as she could on.

It seemed to work for Percy, as he was still amazed by the tree two weeks later.

She didn't expect any presents, but there were two, both wrapped in blue paper. One was just a little smaller than the other, that one had her name on it.

She helped Percy open his, and was amazed by the little sea bell. It was small enough to be an ornament, all white with seashells haphazardly glued onto it.

She let it ring for Percy and he acted as he did a few weeks ago when she drove then out to Montauk for the day. She hadn't seen him happier than that day, the sand, the wind, the water. It was _like_ home, it was _home_.

In her box, there was a pair of pearl earrings, and a letter. It explained everything about demigod children and went even farther in terms of Poseidon's children.

It was signed unexpectedly by Athena, with a postscript saying that the actually gifts were from Poseidon.

That was the first day Sally ever prayed to Athena.

_**2006**_

It's their first Christmas in years without Gabe. It's also their first Christmas since Percy went to Camp. She had been afraid too many times to count that he would get attacked, and then she met Tyson. Big, loveable Tyson who was the nicest and cutes Cyclopes she had ever had the pleasure of meeting.

But Percy was okay. He was thirteen and loud and grouchy and so moody that there were times that she wanted to curse him. But she couldn't imagine her life without him.

Their Christmas is small, but that has never stopped them before. They've had worse plenty of times before.

They only exchange one gift each. Percy got her a new mystery-crime novel; she got him a skateboard as his old one was duct tape than board.

And for the first time in years their home was peaceful and quiet. They listened to Christmas carols and watched old cheesy movies and played every board game they had –except scrabble. They ate way too many cookies and drank more hot chocolate than they should've, but it was Christmas.

And Sally couldn't think of a more perfect holiday.

_**2008**_

She tugged on Paul's hair. He had asked her and Percy if he could spend the holidays with them. Percy had agreed, but cautiously, and she had reminded him –yet again- that he was always welcomed to their home.

But he wasn't waking up, and she knew that Percy was up –she could hear him moving around the house, not being quiet-, and she wanted to spend Christmas together, all three of them.

"Paul, wake up," she told him, "Percy's going to come in here at any moment."

That got him moving, or at least sitting up. She couldn't help but tease him for acting like an old man.

That always got him moving.

When they walked out into the living room, Percy was sitting on the floor, trying to physically hold himself back from the presents. She shook her head at her son and Paul laughed before asking if he could get a cup of coffee before presents.

"No," said Percy, then he dived for the presents. Over the years, more and more presents started to appear for Percy, first from Annabeth and Grover, then Tyson, Thalia, and his other friends from Camp.

The three of them sat together in a circle around the tree, and each time Percy grabbed a present from out under the tree –as he had always been the passer-outer- the tiny sea bell rang out.

Percy was happy with his gifts, even though Annabeth had gotten him a book against her better judgment.

"There is one more, right Percy?" asked Paul, sharing a look with my son. It was a look that I had gotten used to; it told me that they were up to something.

"Oh, yeah," said Percy with a sleepy smile. I looked at both of my boys.

"What are the two of you up to?" I asked, Percy smiled and threw a small object at Paul.

"Well," said Paul, smiling, "Percy and I had a long talk a few weeks ago, about stuff, guy stuff. And something came up; in fact, this was more so Percy's idea than mine."

Paul handed me the gift, I neatly pulled the paper off, more so to drag out the suspense –Percy hadn't stopped grinning and pacing since he gave Paul the box. And when I opened the box, I couldn't stop myself from gasping, this is what Paul and Percy had done a few weeks ago? On their stupid and ridiculous men's night out?

"Paul-"

"Sally, I've thought for a very long time about this, I even asked Percy for permission," he started, taking the box from me and shifting on to one knee. "Will you, Sally Anna Jackson, marry me?"

"Of course."

This still wasn't her best Christmas, but it was a very close second.

"Oh thank the Gods! I told you mom would say yes!" Percy yelled at Paul, laughing. Paul shook his head and Sally leaned over, kissing her new fiancé.

_**2009**_

All of her plans for Christmas went down the drain when Annabeth showed up on their doorstep two days ago. Percy is missing. Her son, her baby is missing. And while she can't come to that conclusion, Annabeth is crying on her couch, and Paul is going through their call list.

She prays to Poseidon, asking for him to keep their son safe.

She still goes through with her plans, there just not as happy and joyous as she hoped. Paul takes it much better than Annabeth, who becomes a sobbing mess once she hears.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Jackson," said Annabeth, whipping her eyes, "it's just that he would be a wonderful older brother."

She can't stop herself from asking Annabeth to not tell him when she finds him. He needs to hear the news from her. He needs to know that she will always love him as much as this baby.

Maybe even a little more, but she doesn't voice it out loud.

Sally unexpectedly finds herself praying to Hera, asking for her –mother to mother- to protect her son.

_**2010**_

It's a Christmas full of firsts. Percy's first Christmas since defeating Gaea, Sabrina's first Christmas ever, and Sally and Paul's first Christmas with too many kids in their home.

They had appeared quietly one by one, first had been Annabeth –though she didn't really count as she basically lived with them, sharing a room with Sabrina. Next had been Nico and Jason, both of them laughing and fighting right outside the door over who had to knock, they had crashed on the floor later that night, with Percy somewhere in the mix. Then came Leo and Piper, Leo had picked the lock and the two of them were found sleeping in the hallway right by the door, both had bruises and cuts and a story about a Cyclopes. And last but not least, were Hazel and Frank, both too polite and quiet, though Hazel could keep up with the Big Three Sons easily, and Frank could jump into any situation and keep everyone from getting into too much trouble.

She got use to late night movies playing and board games thrown across the room and random wrestling matches. She got use to Percy's room being empty and finding all eight of the demigods sleeping in their too small living room. Percy lean frame curling around Annabeth's smaller one. Jason's arm wrapped around Piper, who was beside Annabeth, while his other hand reached out to Nico, almost as if he was afraid the other boy would be gone if he wasn't there with them. Hazel with her back to against Nico's and Frank's arms wrapped almost too tightly around her. And Leo, he was always somewhere random, mostly snuggled between Annabeth and Piper; in fact he was almost always with Piper.

Christmas day was full of presents and laughter and food and everything that she would ever want. Percy had taken to Sabrina so easily; he was almost always with her or Annabeth. And his friends were all polite and nice and never seemed to want to let her do anything, though she always put her foot down when they went to cook something in her kitchen.

As much as she was growing to love these teenagers, she would never let them into her kitchen.

The day ended too early for her liking, but Sally was happy to have all these teenagers in her life.

_**2012**_

It was Percy's first Christmas since graduating high school, and he and Annabeth had gone out to California to spend it with her family. Sally saw it as fair, but was surprised when Leo, Nico, and Jason all appeared on her doorstep Christmas Eve.

She would never be able to say no, they slept on her floor and couch and in the morning, she was surprised to see them still there, especially Nico.

The watched over and helped Sabrina with her presents, Leo even assembled one of them for her. The day was quiet, and she didn't know if it was because they were missing all the other demigods or because there was three instead of eight. Either way, she didn't mind.

"Brother up! Up! Up!" Sabrina demanded Nico, who just looked at her annoyed.

"Sabrina, you didn't say the magic word," said Leo, as he fiddled with another one of her toys.

"Please brother Nico?"

"I think Jason would be much better with the whole 'up' thing," said Nico, pointing over to Jason, who was trying to understand the word scramble papers on the coffee table –Paul's ungraded homework.

Sabrina walked over and pulled on Jason's hair, harder than she meant too, but it got his attention. "Brother Jason, up?"

"Up where?" he asked, tickling her stomach.

"Up, up!"

Sally smiled at the boys, none of them had their mother anymore, or a sister really, but they would always have her and Sabrina to take care of them.

_**2014**_

She finds it odd that even though almost all of them are twenty-one or twenty-two, they're still sleeping on her living room floor. Eight demigods, a minor goddess, and a five year old mortal are the first thing that she sees when she walks down the hall.

And just like the years before, laughter and noise and happiness fill the air for too long and yet not long enough. And everyone is happy and Sally can't help but look around at her family and smiled at all of them, as that's what they are, a family.

_**2016**_

It's her first –really second as Stephan is her first in her eyes- grandson's Charles Christmas and Annabeth is pregnant with her second –third- grandchild, along with Piper and Calypso. She doesn't care that Annabeth got pregnant a month after having Charles –though she blames Percy more than Annabeth- or that Piper and Calypso aren't married to the fathers of their children –Jason and Leo respectably.

She just happy that for the first time in years that she doesn't have to have too many people in their too small for this many people apartment, even if they had to come all the way out to Brooklyn. And even though their missing Nico and have gained Stephan and Charles, and three very pregnant women, everything feels okay and right.

_**2020**_

Theirs only five of them: herself, Paul, Sabrina, Bianca, and Malcolm. Sabrina is eleven and too cool for her niece and nephew, and she has her Christmas show today. So after presents and a quick breakfast they make their way to Broadway. For the last seven years, Sabrina never had a Christmas production, but this year is nothing like the last seven.

Percy and Annabeth are gone, along with Charles and Lucas. Though the difference is that she knows where her grandsons are, just not her son and daughter(-in-law).

It becomes another Christmas of firsts, but it's not the first Christmas that Sally prays to the Gods asking for her children's wellbeing.

_**2033**_

Percy and Annabeth's home is loud and filled with almost double the amount of demigods as it was twenty years ago at her apartment in Manhattan. They only problem is that Bianca isn't there to spread her holiday cheer and it feels like the Jackson's are slowly crumbling while the other families –the Graces, Valdezs, and Zhangs- pretend to be oblivious.

Until Malcolm –who has never not had a Christmas with Bianca- cracks and screams at Annabeth.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! I'M NOT OPENING ANY PRESENTS UNTIL BIANCA GETS HERE!"

She doesn't know what to do as she had never heard him yell at anyone like that before.

So she decided to tell them about her favorite Christmas'.

Starting with the first one with Poseidon forty years ago, reminding everyone that they might not be together if it wasn't for her.

This still isn't Sally's favorite Christmas, as her whole family isn't all together, but they'll never be a favorite Christmas as Frank and Nico are dead and they'll never all be together again, but it does come to a close second.

**AN:** Merry Christmas everyone! Sorry this is a little late, but it's the thought that matters right?


End file.
